George Singleton tells of how DeSoto crossed the Alabama River near Claiborne in October 1540

Hernando DeSoto

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “463 years ago today” was originally published in the Oct. 16, 2003 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

Sunday, the 12^th of October 2003, was a quiet day along the banks of the mighty Alabama River at Claiborne. But, this was not the case on the 12^th of October 1540.

This was the day 463 years ago the Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto and his army gathered on the west bank of the mighty river, getting reading to make the crossing that would be instrumental in the changing of our history.

This day was Tuesday, and the scouts of DeSoto’s army had chosen this location because of the low banks alongside the large stream. Because it was the dry season of the year, the river was at its lowest level.

Two days prior, DeSoto and his army had made camp on the east bank, where the large creek that has come to be known as Silver Creek joins the now Alabama River. The weary army, after slowly making its way down from the area now known as Cahaba, stopped here.

Bad food and probably contaminated water had taken its toll on the members of DeSoto’s followers. The army’s scouts had reported to their commander that a very large native village had been located just across the mighty stream. The village was known as Piache. The large village of Piache sat on the very spot where the huge paper mill, Alabama River Pulp, is now located.

Since the army of DeSoto had landed in this strange and unfamiliar land, things had not gone as well as DeSoto had wished. Coming here from Spain, DeSoto had great expectations of finding great riches in the huge villages along the rivers of this land.

During his expeditions in North America, he had been told of the legendary “Seven Cities of Gold” that lay to the north. Returning back to his native land, he organized another expedition and sailed with his army to the new world, leaving word that when he returned, he would be wealthy beyond his wildest dreams.

The river crossing was not an easy one for the army of DeSoto. Timbers had to be cut with which large rafts were made that would bring the heavy armor of his army across the swift river. Along with the army was a large herd of swine or hogs that had to be brought across by raft. Also, quite a large herd of cattle had to be brought across.

Due to the fact that the swine couldn’t swim the wide stream, they had to be caught and tied and placed one by one on the rafts. Most of the soldiers were suffering from the severe troublesome dysentery that plagued the army.

The 12^th of October 1540 was a long one for DeSoto as he waited on the east slope of the river watching his tired and weary army slowly make the dangerous crossing. Several of his war horses, along with may pieces of body armor, was lost during the crossing. Many of the swine and cattle that was to be used to feed his army was lost also. The river god had demanded his toll.

The river crossing was finally completed on the 13^th of October. Slowly the weary ragtag army made its way up the east bank of the mighty river and camped on the outskirts of the large village of Piache.

The villagers knew that the army was coming due to the fact that their scouts had been closely keeping track of the approaching army and their herds. The villagers were totally amazed at seeing the Spanish soldiers riding their war horses up toward the village. These were the first horses the Indians had ever seen. And, seeing a man in full body armor was very strange indeed.

Through the slave labor of captured Indians that DeSoto had with his army, the village medicine men of the of the village learned of the dysentery that plagued the army.

Going out into the deep weeds along the river bank, the medicine men gathered a certain type of weed and returned to the village. Here, they burned the special weed and mixed the ashes in the food of the suffering army. Less than a couple of days, the severe dysentery of DeSoto’s followers had vanished.

Record has it that DeSoto’s army left Piache on the 15^th of October and headed in a northeastward direction into what the Spanish referred to as “the mountainous area.” Their route would take them along the high ridges of what is now the area of Red Hills and Old Scotland.

At one time during the early years of the community of Old Scotland, inscribed on one of the stone blocks of the old church were the words: “Built on the route of DeSoto.” The slow-moving army would make its way along the high ridges up into the area of what is now  known as the community of Pine Orchard. There, in the huge flat area where Flat Creek begins to form, was located the large village of Maubila.

Here, the famed “Battle of Maubila” took place. DeSoto would lose a large number of his trained warriors and many of his war horses. DeSoto, himself, would receive a head wound so severe, it would affect his ability to reason for the rest of his life. But, that is another story.

Many who read this article probably will disagree with me about the location of Maubila. Our history of Alabama tends to locate Maubila over near the town of Grove Hill in Clarke County. I do not wish to be different, nor am I trying to be smart, but over the years, I have done much research on the route of DeSoto, where he and his army crossed the mighty river where Claiborne is now located.

I have walked this ancient path inch by inch many times. I have proven to myself beyond a shadow of a doubt that if the proper research was done, one would find that the large Indian village of what was once Maubila was nestled in the Pine Orchard area in the county of Monroe.

So today, Sunday, the 12^th of October 2003, I stand here on the high embankment overlooking the location where 463 years ago the Spanish explorer DeSoto stood. I am reminded that much of our early history is fast fading.

Before too long, such events that I have tried to bring to attention of our local citizens will have passed into oblivion. And, the places thereof will know them no more.

“This is the place, stand still my steed.
And let me review the scene
And summon from the shadowy past,
The forms that once has been.”

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born to Vincent William Singleton and Frances Cornelia Faile Singleton, during a late-night thunderstorm, on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School in 1946, served as a U.S. Marine paratrooper in the Korean War, worked as a riverboat deckhand, lived for a time among Apache Indians, moved to Monroe County on June 28, 1964 and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from June 28, 1964 to Dec. 14, 1987. He was promoted from the enlisted ranks to warrant officer in May 1972. For years, Singleton’s columns, titled “Monroe County history – Did you know?” and “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe Journal, and he wrote a lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that appeared in Alabama Life magazine. It’s believed that his first column appeared in the March 25, 1971 edition of The Monroe Journal. He also helped organize the Monroe County Museum and Historical Society and was also a past president of that organization. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)